scholarly journals Mapping Biodiversity Patterns across Southeast Asia

Author(s):  
Alice Hughes

Southeast Asia represents a global biodiversity hotspot, and yet compared to much of the rest of the world we have a relatively poor understanding of the patterns of biodiversity and endemism, or even basic distributions for many taxa. Global maps such as the IUCN (International Union for the Conservation of Nature) species range maps often have major inaccuracies in the spatial mapping of species localities, which are particularly problematic around political administrative boundary regions, and make any form of spatial prioritization difficult or impossible. Here I show various approaches to mapping biodiversity across the landscape, including the mapping of both ecosystems with high levels of endemism, and databasing huge volumes of data as a basis for mapping out species distributions when combined with other forms of data, to map out diversity at numerous different taxonomic levels. I showcase the initial results of mapping for various taxa, and different ways of aggregating the data to better understand different facets of biodiversity. Additionally I discuss various approaches to developing spatial priorities for conservation across the region and the relative tradeoffs between each.

BMC Ecology ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Xianfeng Jiang ◽  
Yanping Xie

Abstract Background Pollen limitation occurs widely and has an important effect on flowering plants. The East Himalaya-Hengduan Mountains region is a global biodiversity hotspot. However, to our knowledge, no study has synthetically assessed the degree of pollen limitation in this area. The present study aims to reveal the degree of pollen limitation for the flowering plants growing on East Himalaya-Hengduan Mountains and to test whether the reproductive features or the elevation is closely correlated with the degree of pollen limitation in this area. Results We complied data from 76 studies, which included 96 species and 108 independent data records. We found that the flowering plants in this area undergo severe pollen limitation [overall Hedges’ d = 2.004, with a 95% confidence interval (1.3264, 2.6743)] that is much higher than that of the flowering plants growing in many other regions around the world. The degree of pollen limitation was tested to determine the correlation with the capacity for autonomous self-reproduction and with the pollination pattern (generalized vs. specialized pollination) of plants. In addition, we found a clear relationship between elevation and the degree of pollen limitation, which indicates that plants might undergo more severe pollen limitation in relatively high places. Conclusions This paper is the first to address the severe pollen limitation of the flowering plants growing in East Himalaya-Hengduan Mountains region. Moreover, we reveal the positive correlation between elevation and the degree of pollen limitation.


Phytotaxa ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 391 (2) ◽  
pp. 150
Author(s):  
XIANHUA XIONG ◽  
MENG LI ◽  
TONGJUN LIANG ◽  
WENBING JU ◽  
BO XU ◽  
...  

Rubus Linnaeus (1753: 492), one of the most taxonomically challenging genera in Rosaceae (Lu 1983, Alice & Campbell 1999, Alice et al. 2008), comprises more than 700 species (Lu & Boufford 2003) and is distributed across the world except Antarctica (Alice & Campbell 1999). The Hengduan Mountains, the mountains at the eastern end of the Himalayas, are widely regarded as a global biodiversity hotspot. During a taxonomic revision of Rubus L. in the Hengduan Mountains and its neighbouring regions, we found that fifteen names have never been typified. Lectotypification of these names are designated here after examination of previous works (Zandee & Kalkman 1981, Kalkman 1984 & 1987, Monasterio-Huelin & Castroviejol 1993, Monasterio-Huelin 1996, Monasterio-Huelin & Webert 1996, Bean 1997a & b, Allen 1998, Widrlechner 1998, Matzke-Hajek 2001a & b, Sennikov & Weber 2010, Deng 2015, Weber 2015a & b, Gupta et al. 2016, Yang et al. 2016, Beek et al. 2017, Dash & Gupta 2017, Király 2017, Király et al. 2017).


2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yun-He Wu ◽  
Parinya Pawangkhanant ◽  
Jin-Min Chen ◽  
Wei Gao ◽  
Chatmongkon Suwannapoom ◽  
...  

Thailand is considered a global biodiversity hotspot that is known to harbour a striking diversity of endemic species. However, several research studies have determined that the level of amphibian diversity in the country has been significantly underestimated. The megophryid genus Leptobrachella Smith, 1925 is currently known to include 89 species that are primarily distributed throughout southern China and Southeast Asia; however, only seven species have been found in Thailand. Based on an integrative approach encompassing genetic and morphological analyses, we have concluded that the population identified from Chiang Rai Province of Thailand is conspecific with Leptobrachella ventripunctata (Fei, Ye, and Li, 1990). Importantly, this is the first confirmation record of this species, based on molecular and morphological evidence in Thailand. The discovery of this species reaffirms that the diversity within the genus has been underestimated with many species yet to be discovered. In addition, the findings of our study further highlight the lack of existing knowledge on amphibian taxonomy and an underestimation of the biodiversity that exists along these national border areas.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
xianfeng jiang ◽  
Yanping Xie

Abstract Background: Pollen limitation occurs widely and has an important effect on flowering plants. The East Himalaya-Hengduan Mountains region is a global biodiversity hotspot. However, to our knowledge, no study has synthetically assessed the degree of pollen limitation in this area. The present study aims to reveal the degree of pollen limitation for the flowering plants growing on the East Himalaya-Hengduan Mountains and to test whether the reproductive features or the elevation is closely correlated with the degree of pollen limitation in this area.Results: We complied data from 76 studies, which included 96 species and 108 independent data records. We found that the flowering plants in this area undergo severe pollen limitation (overall Hedges’ d=2.004, with a 95% confidence interval [1.3264, 2.6743]) that is much higher than that of the flowering plants growing in many other regions around the world. The degree of pollen limitation was tested to determine the correlation with the capacity for autonomous self-reproduction and with the pollination pattern (generalized vs. specialized pollination) of plants. In addition, we found a clear relationship between elevation and the degree of pollen limitation, which indicates that plants might undergo more severe pollen limitation in relatively high places.Conclusions: This paper is the first to address the severe pollen limitation of the flowering plants growing in the East Himalaya-Hengduan Mountains region. Moreover, we reveal the positive correlation between elevation and the degree of pollen limitation.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xianfeng Jiang ◽  
Yanping Xie

Abstract Background: Pollen limitation occurs widely and has an important effect on flowering plants. The East Himalaya-Hengduan Mountains region is a global biodiversity hotspot. However, to our knowledge, no study has synthetically assessed the degree of pollen limitation in this area. The present study aims to reveal the degree of pollen limitation for the flowering plants growing on East Himalaya-Hengduan Mountains and to test whether the reproductive features or the elevation is closely correlated with the degree of pollen limitation in this area. Results: We complied data from 76 studies, which included 96 species and 108 independent data records. We found that the flowering plants in this area undergo severe pollen limitation (overall Hedges’ d=2.004, with a 95% confidence interval [1.3264, 2.6743]) that is much higher than that of the flowering plants growing in many other regions around the world. The degree of pollen limitation was tested to determine the correlation with the capacity for autonomous self-reproduction and with the pollination pattern (generalized vs. specialized pollination) of plants. In addition, we found a clear relationship between elevation and the degree of pollen limitation, which indicates that plants might undergo more severe pollen limitation in relatively high places.Conclusions: This paper is the first to address the severe pollen limitation of the flowering plants growing in East Himalaya-Hengduan Mountains region. Moreover, we reveal the positive correlation between elevation and the degree of pollen limitation.


2019 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 216-224

All the religions of the world are based on the fundamental principles of good conduct and prohibit their followers from indulging in the misconduct and misbehavior that may harm the society at large. However, nothing appears without its root. India is famous for her heritage of philosophy and culture having got a deep system of thoughts, beautiful values and profound influences on other countries. The paper mentions the concept of Panca-sila, the origins and some of its influences on India and Southeast Asia. The paper has four parts: 1. The concept of Panca-sila in the Upanishadic ideas; 2. The connectivity of Panca-sila with Buddha; 3. The Panchsheel Treaty by Jawaharlal Nehru; and 4. Panca-sila in Sukarno’ philosophy. Received 22nd June 2018; Revised 2nd April 2019; Accepted 14th April 2019


Author(s):  
Yekha-ü ◽  
Queenbala Marak

Feasts of Merit are an important social way of life among different tribes in the world, especially in Southeast Asia. In Northeast India, the different Naga tribes were well-known for this practice before the advent of Christianity. However, among the Chakhesang Nagas, after the advent of Christianity, the practices of giving feasts continue to this day with minor modifications in terms of rituals and taboos while the symbolic meaning and values behind this practice are retained. The Feasts of Merit, among them, are intricately connected to their worldview, whereby the feast-givers distribute their wealth in terms of sacrificing mithun, buffalo, and/or other livestock, in consecutive feasts, and receiving in return a higher social rank and the right to wear a special shawl (“Feasts of Merit” shawl), variously known as hapidasa, elicüra, and thüpikhü and the right to adorn the house with special architecture (mithun and buffalo wood carvings on the wall, and to put up a horn at the pinnacle of the house front). This article discusses the “Feasts of Merit” shawl and how it is connected intrinsically to the ethos of the tribe, and in doing so it states that the Chakhesang feasts can be looked upon as gift economy.


2021 ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Elizabeth Maruma Mrema

While 2020 –dubbed the “Super Year for Nature –has seen the world battling an unforeseen global pandemic, this article comes back on the Convention of Biological Diversity and its regime, studies the aim of the negotiations of the post-2020 global biodiversity framework and the relevance of this framework for the planet, considering that the protection of biological diversity impacts all aspects of human life, including the full enjoying of human rights and protection against future pandemics.


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